Agustin Canapino will not compete in Sunday’s IndyCar race at Road America after a week of alleged fan abuse on social media following an incident between him and Theo Pourchaire at the Detroit Grand Prix.
Juncos Hollinger Racing said Nolan Siegel would replace the 24-year-old Argentinian in the No. 78 car while Canapino takes a “leave of absence.” Canapino’s departure from the seat comes after Arrow McLaren announced on Thursday that it was ending its business relationship with Juncos Hollinger after Canapino fans reportedly made death threats towards Pourchaire.
“The increase in online abuse and harassment following this week’s events has led to a very difficult experience for Agustin, the team and the entire IndyCar fanbase, and the safety of Agustin and the rest of the competitors must come first. and above all,” a team statement said. “Abuse, hatred and harassment in any form are harmful to this sport, and we must prioritize the mental and physical well-being of both our drivers and our competition.”
Pourchaire, driving for McLaren, made contact with Canapino during the Detroit Grand Prix on June 2. On Monday, Pourchaire tweeted that he had received death threats following the incident.
Canapino himself released a statement saying, “I have not seen any death threats against those who claim to have received them,” while disavowing anyone who would make death threats on social media. He said he is “constantly receiving[s] abuse and hatred” and he “has learned to live with it, as many people do, and has chosen to ignore it. There is nothing sadder and more miserable than hiding behind social media to insult others.”
On Thursday, McLaren cited its “social media community code” and said it would not tolerate “any form of abuse or discrimination” and “fully condemns the online abuse directed at our team and driver” as it announced it had ended its business relationship . with Juncos Hollinger The teams had a deal to place additional McLaren sponsorship inventory on Juncos Hollinger cars if necessary.
The fan abuse cited this week was not the first time an opposing driver has brought up how Canapino fans reacted online after a race. A season ago, Canapino’s then-teammate Callum Ilott drew hatred after an incident between the two drivers at Laguna Seca. The outrage led Juncos Hollinger to release a statement asking that no negative comments be made toward any of its drivers.
Canapino has an average finish of 17.7 through the first six IndyCar races of the season and finished 22nd in the Indianapolis 500. Siegel was the only driver not to qualify for the 500 when he crashed during his last-ditch qualifying attempt to win the field. Sunday’s race will be his second IndyCar start in his career.
